Only about three more chappies to go on this story! It kind of feels good to be COMPLETEING a story because I tend to get uninspired after a while (or, in the case of my TWD fics, the fandom pisses me off to the point of being uninspired...).

But my love for YYH and its fandom is still strong :)

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Kazuma and Yukina had been so busy with eachother lately that they'd almost completely forgotten about the homework that was due the very next day, so the next morning found them sitting in her room on the floor, pouring over their various books and papers.

Still, Kazuma wasn't satisfied to spend the entire day working and having no fun, he wanted to go and do something, anything, with Yukina. He didn't really care what that activity might be, to be honest, as long as they did it together and Yukina enjoyed herself.

Besides his school homework, he knew he also needed to start studying for the Fireman's test and also practice the Sacred Energy as well...the responsibility of being a man with someone to take care of was a very big deal and he knew it would be worth it in the end even if it was difficult now. Yukina's happiness would be his reward!

The ringing of the phone downstairs made both of them jump and Kazuma came back to reality as Yukina jumped up and ran downstairs to grab it. He sighed and stood up, stretching the kinks out of his back from leaning over his books. He heard Yukina's footsteps coming back up the stairs and she entered the room with the phone held out towards him.

"It's Shizuru, she wants to talk to you. "

Kazuma sighed and rolled his eyes, but he accepted the phone and covered the receiver with his hand.

"She's probably going to ask me all kinds of questions so..."

"That's perfectly fine," Yukina giggled.

Kazuma held the phone to his ear and announced he was listening and that he already knew she was going to ask him probing questions.

"Hey, little bro, we're staying another day! Have fun, you two!"

Click. The call ended and Kazuma just stood there in shock at the sudden loss of conversation. He clicked the phone off and shook his head with a grin.

"I can't believe she just hung up on me."

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A little while later, Yukina was standing in the kitchen washing dishes, conversing happily with a pair of sparrows that landed on the windowsill. They were chirping and she was giggling and Kazuma smiled at the sight when he entered the kitchen. He glanced around and noticed that the whole kitchen and living room were spotless, cleaned to Shizuru's immaculate standards.

"Hey, I didn't know you were gonna clean the house," he commented as Yukina set another dish in the drying rack. She turned to look at him and beamed happily as she dried her hands with a towel.

"Oh, it was nothing," she assured him, "You were doing homework and I'm done with mine so I had nothing else to do. I didn't want to disturb your studying."

Kazuma nodded in acceptance and hung the phone back where it belonged.

"Shizuru said they're staying another day at the beach," he announced, "Before she very rudely hung up on me."

Yukina giggled.

"Shizuru sure is in a category of her own," she said.

"Yeah...a category for psychopaths."

The phone rang again at the moment and they both jumped in surprise, Kazuma momentarily panicked, thinking maybe somehow Shizuru had bugged the house and heard what he'd just said.

"H-hello?"

"Yes. Is this Kazuma Kuwabara?"

"Yes it is," Kazuma replied, not sure who he was speaking to, but knowing the voice was familiar.

Laughter came through the receiver. "It's me, Gen. The fire chief. How're you and the missus?"

"Oh, hello, sir! We're doing well, thanks. Sorry, I thought it was my sister calling." Kazuma's heart squeezed and he wondered why Gen was calling him so soon.

Another laugh on the other end of the line, booming and joyful. "Ah, yes, sisters. Well, listen, kid, I was calling to see if you'd be available to take the test on the 23rd of next month? That work for you?"

"Oh yes! That's perfect, thank you!" Kazuma felt ready to burst with excitement.

"Good. See you then, kid. We need more people like you in this profession, excited and enthusiastic."

Kazuma bid the fire chief goodbye and hung up the phone with a massive smile across his face. He turned to Yukina and scooped her up and swung her around with a an excited yell.

"I take it that was Chief Gen?" Yukina laughed brightly as he set her back down.

"It sure was! I'm in for the test next month!"

"Oh, Kazuma, I'm so excited for you!" Yukina smiled brightly and stepped into him for a hug. He gladly returned the hug and then took her chin in his hand and leaned down to give her a kiss.

"You mean excited for us?" he corrected her when they broke apart, his eyes bright with excitement. She nodded sincerely.

"Yes, for us! Just keep studying and I know for a fact that you'll pass!"

Kazuma beamed and took her hands in his.

"I say this calls for a celebration," he suggested, "Anything particular you'd like to do tonight? We can stay in or go out, I don't really care as long as it's with you."

Yukina considered this for a moment and decided it would be best not to be out too late on a school night and it was already late into the afternoon.

"How about we stay in and I'll make all your favorites for dinner?" she suggested.

"Sounds perfect!"

They spent the next few hours laying around the house just talking and spending time with eachother, they told eachother lame jokes and played a few rounds of Slap Jack and eventually they curled up together on the couch to watch a movie, Kazuma wrapped protectively around her from behind, playing gently with her hair. He admire the color of it, the soft, silkiness of it...he even loved the smell of it.

He recalled their almost breakup at the library. Since that day, Yukina's devotion to him hadn't faltered in the least and the thought made his heart soar. She had become just as loving and open with him as he had always been to her and he admire the way she'd matured and grown since that day. Between winning her affections, gaining Hiei's approval and the massive amount of physical love they'd been sharing, he realized now as they relaxed on the couch just how stressful the last few months had been...but it had been worth it.

Graduation was coming up and he finally felt like his life was falling into place...he just had to stay focused and make it through these next couple weeks! If he continued to focus on his studies and work hard, he knew it would be alright. He glanced down to his hand that was resting on Yukina's hip and he raised it slightly, allowing a tiny ball of Sacred Energy to form in his palm...even this new energy was getting a little easier to control.

The movie ended and Yukina gave him a kiss before standing up to go make dinner. She insisted he couldn't help out and he grudgingly agreed and relaxed on the couch, flipping on a comedy show on TV. A little while later he heard Yukina curse lightly and his ear perked up, she never swore hardly ever!

"You ok, baby?" he called, worried.

"Yes, I'm sorry!" Yukina called, her voice sounding embarrassed, "We just don't have any of that yellow stuff Shizuru puts on the toast...butter, that's it! We don't have any butter!"

He heard her rustling around and then she was beside the couch, her purse in hand.

"I'm going to run to the store and grab some," she announced and Kazuma rose to go with her but she shook her head.

"What? I can't go with you?" he asked, confused.

"It's supposed to be a surprise dinner," she told him sternly, "I need to grab a few other things and I don't want you to know what I'm cooking. It's only just down the street and I've gone by myself before so I'll be just fine. You've been studying hard today and you deserve a break, so you just rest here and I'll be back soon. Ok?"

"You sure? I can keep you company...you know, outsidethe bedroom just as well." he waggled his eyebrows at her and she giggled and blushed brightly.

"Don't say things like that! I'll be right back!" she began to walk off and then she turned, her eyes were soft as she looked at him, "I love you, Kazuma. I am very proud of you."

And she was headed for the door before Kazuma could say another word, he smiled after her and then sighed as the front door closed behind her. He laid back on the couch, his arms under his head and he blinked heavily a few times...maybe Yukina was right, he did need to rest a bit. He was asleep only minutes later.

His dreams were full of Yukina, as always. She was wearing a white wedding dress, a handful of roses clutched in her hands, her hair was pulled up in an elegant bun atop her head and she wore a veil on her head that flowed down over her face, delicate designs in the lace. On her face was the sweetest smile. But then he felt a twist in his gut and he felt sick as a dark, shadowy figure with red eyes appeared behind his lovely woman, his bride to be, and reach out it's horrible hands to grab her from behind. She screamed his name and it echoed all around as she disappeared into the swirling, shadowy mass. Kazuma clutched his chest, too frozen to even take a step forward. The aura around him was too heavy, too dark, too strong! He tried to scream Yukina's name but he found his voice was gone and he couldn't even make a sound. All around him was a feeling of hatred and malice and a deep, gorwling voice filled his ears.

"YOU HAVE TWO DAYS!"

Kazuma's eyes shot open and he looked around in terror. He was still on the couch, in his house, but a cold sense of dread was still present. He panted wildly and he felt his Sacred Energy going crazy inside him, he jumped up and looked around, sending out his energy to search for Yukina's presence...she was not in the house and he glanced at the clock on the wall. She'd been gone for hours! Shit, he'd fallen asleep for hours!

He spread the energy probe out to the nearby placed in town, the market specifically, but he did not feel her presence anywhere nearby. He ran upstairs to check all the room, just in case, but her bedroom was empty, the bed made and tidy. His room was empty too. He ran back downstairs and checked the backyard. Nothing. He ran back inside and stood in the middle of the living room, looking around wildly.

Suddenly the dream came back to him and he fell to his knees, clutching his skull tightly, his eyes wide with horror as the feeling of dark and malevolent intent hit him again like a tidal wave. He was shaking all over and he suddenly realized...it had not been a dream, but a vision. His emotions went from fear to shock to disbelief and then pure rage as it all fell into place.

Yukina had been kidnapped.

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